Australian Army Veterinary Corps
William John RIDLEY
Captain
Died 7 June 1917 · Aged 26
His story
Captain William John Ridley was born in Moree, New South Wales. After his father’s death, the family moved to Arncliffe, a southern Sydney suburb.
William attended Fort Street Boys High School before undertaking Veterinary Studies at Sydney University.
After qualifying as a veterinary surgeon, Ridley joined the Australian Imperial Force. The Australian War Memorial records his enlistment on 5 May 1915. He left Australia on 22 June 1915 as veterinary officer to the 5th Brigade.
He was killed in action at Messines Ridge on 7 June 1917 when an enemy shell landed under his horse, killing both instantly.
He is buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery.
Before the war
- Nationality
- Australian
- Place of Birth
- Moree, New South Wales, Australia
- Veterinary College and Date of Graduation
- Sydney University - 1915
Military service
- Last Rank
- Captain
- Regiment/Service
- Australian Army Veterinary Corps
- Secondary Regiment
- 4th Division AIF
- Secondary Unit
- 11th Field Artillery Brigade
- First Theatre of War
- Egypt June 1915
Medals and commemoration
- Name on RCVS Honour Board
- No
- Name In Officers who died in Great War
- No
- Medals and Awards
- British War Medal 1914-1918; Victory Medal
Death and burial
- Date of Death
- 7 June 1917
- Age at Death
- 26
- Place of Death
- Messines Ridge, Belgium
- Cause of Death
- Killed in action by enemy shell.
- Cemetery
- Kandahar Farm Cemetery
- Location
- Ieper, Belgium
- Grave Reference
- II. A. 17.
- Commonwealth War Grave
- Yes - CWGC Headstone
- Emblem or Badge on Headstone
- Australian Rising Sun
Connected men
- Jacob Hope PRIMMERAlso buried at Kandahar Farm Cemetery
Sources and further reading
- CWGC casualty and commemoration record
- Find a Grave memorial
- AUSTRALIAN VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL
- Australian War Memorial — service record
- Australian War Memorial — Roll of Honour
Cite this biography
Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “William John Ridley”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/william_john_ridley/.
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